S7 Ep. 3: Freeman’s: Conclusions: John Freeman and Omar El Akkad on a Literary Magazine’s Final Issue

fiction/non/fiction

Poet, editor, and writer John Freeman and novelist Omar El Akkad join co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to talk about the final issue of Freeman’s, a literary magazine founded in 2015. El Akkad, a contributor to the volume, describes founding editor Freeman’s intense and uniquely broad interest in literature, as well as his unusual ability to curate collections of pieces that are in conversation with one another. Freeman explains the work and support that made the magazine possible, and reflects on the moment when he decided to pursue it, as well as how he decided to conclude it. They discuss the publication as a project that created a valuable network of literary connections and gave many writers a new context and outlet for their work. El Akkad reads from “Pillory,” his story which appears in the final edition of Freeman’s, and talks about how he came to write it.

To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/

This episode of the podcast was produced by Anne Kniggendorf.

John Freeman

• Freeman’s
• Wind, Trees
• Maps
• How to Read a Novelist
• Dictionary of the Undoing

Omar El Akkad

• “Pillory”, by Omar El Akkad
• American War
• What Strange Paradise

Others:

• Freeman’s Conclusions | Vancouver Writers Fest
• Freeman's Conclusions - The Nest - Vancouver - Oct 20, 2023 · Showpass
• Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 3, Episode 22: “The Unpopular Tale of Populism: Thomas Frank on the Real History of an American Mass Movement”
• Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 3, Episode 17: “Poetry, Prose, and the Climate Crisis: John Freeman and Tahmima Anam on Public Space and Global Inequality”
• Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 1, Episode 5: “Is College Education a Right or a Privilege?” featuring John Freeman and Sarah Smarsh
• Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 2, Episode 17: “Emily Raboteau and Omar El Akkad Tell a Different Kind of Climate Change Story”
• Denis Johnson
• Barry Lopez
• Wendy Chen
• Li Qingzhao
• Li Po
• Debra Gwartney
• Michael Salu
• Colson Whitehead
• Jon Gray

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